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Brief Synopsis

Married songwriters almost split up while putting on a big show.

Lyricist Dixie Donegan testifies at her divorce hearing that she first met her husband, Eddie Crane, when she was a waitress in a diner and he was a struggling composer: Although Eddie's current lyricist does not like his new song, Dixie is inspired to write some words and the song becomes the first of a string of hits. After Dixie testifies that they soon married, her friend, Broadway dancing star Marilyn Marsh, testifies that the couple was very happy until success caused Eddie to go "Park Avenue." Dixie, on the other hand, prefers their loyal friends, such as Marilyn, music publisher Max Milton, song plugger Joe "Red" Willet and singer Buddy Crawford. One night, after a party at which the differences between what Dixie and Eddie want become very obvious, Dixie suggests that they divorce, and he agrees. As Eddie does not contest the divorce, after Marilyn's testimony, Judge Murdock grants the decree. Dixie then moves in with Marilyn and tries to find a new partner, while Eddie continues to entertain his society friends. One day, Eddie calls Dixie and asks her to come over, and she rushes to their old apartment, only to discover that, instead of a reconciliation, Eddie wants her to help him replace the servants who have just quit. Dixie then goads him into finishing a song, and she adds lyrics. Soon Eddie becomes jealous of Buddy, who is seeing Dixie, and gets into a fight with him at their club. Later, after Buddy sings the new song on a radio program broadcast from a nightclub, Eddie joins their friends, but leaves when Dixie pays too much attention to Buddy. Feeling remorseful the next day, Eddie takes flowers to Dixie, but finds that Buddy has already filled the apartment with blooms. Eddie then suggests that they continue to be a team, and after they write the tune, "Lady Be Good," it becomes the number one song on the Hit Parade for weeks. Some time later, after attending a banquet in their honor, Eddie asks to reconcile, but Dixie refuses and he incorrectly assumes that it is because of Buddy. Hoping to help a reconciliation along, Marilyn suggests to Buddy, who is actually in love with her, that he try to make Eddie jealous by sending Dixie a diamond ring. When Dixie receives the huge ring, she thinks that Eddie sent it and is embarrassed when Buddy arrives and says that they are now engaged. Meanwhile, Marilyn calls Eddie to tell him about the ring and he threatens to bring a gun over. After he arrives, the mixup is eventually sorted out and when Dixie and Eddie are finally alone, they admit their love for each other and decide to marry again that night. Driving back from the ceremony, in the back seat of the car, Marilyn finally lets Buddy know that she also loves him and they become engaged. Meanwhile, in the front seat, Dixie realizes that Eddie has not changed and tells him that they can be partners, but not live together as husband and wife until after they finish their new show. Eddie refuses, and six months later, Dixie is again before Judge Murdock, relating the details of her most recent separation from Eddie. This time, Murdock refuses to grant the divorce because he knows that Eddie and Dixie are still in love. After Marilyn, Buddy and Dixie leave, Eddie rushes into the courtroom to contest the divorce, and Murdock leads him to believe that the divorce was granted. Accompanied by Red and his girl friend Lull, Eddie follows the others to an inn, then finds Dixie alone on the terrace. He begs her to marry him again and is shocked when she says that she will never remarry but will live with him. She then embraces Eddie and tells him just to keep thinking that they aren't really married.